State of Education: Feeling the Pressure, Industry Responds to Training Needs

The technology learning curve for both dentists and technicians is ramping up to a never-before-seen level, putting tremendous pressure on laboratory owners to educate themselves, their staff members and their dentist-clients about our changing industry; it's a one-two-three punch!

There are other issues-- some long-standing, some relatively new--contributing to the immense training pressure on owners and managers. The U.S. military, which was once a key training ground for many technicians, is offering significantly fewer opportunities for dental technology education. For instance, in 2005 the Navy eliminated its dental technology-specific training and merged it with hospital corpsman training. The Navy's goal was to enhance the flexibility of its enlisted medical personnel and, as a result, sailors learn a wide variety of medical skills but receive less extensive training in dental technology.

The number of...